CPWF Project Inception Report

CPWF Project Inception Report

Project Title: Productive, profitable, and resilient agriculture and aquaculture systems Project Number: G2 Project Leader: Liz Humphreys

For submission to the

Date: October 20, 2011

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CPWF Project Inception Report

1.
1.1

Progress made during project inception

Achievements

Please describe your major research and process achievements (and how they contribute to the project and BDC)
Letters of Agreement (LoAs) IRRI Signed with * Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) * Indian Council of Agricultural Research-Central Soil Salinity Research Institute (ICAR-CSSRI) * BRAC Finalized with World Fish Centre (WFC) (will be signed shortly) WFC Finalized with the two partners (signature pending completion of IRRI-WorldFish LOA) * Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI) * Central Institute for Brackishwater Aquaculture (CIBA) Staff recruitment * Change in leadership: E. Humphreys as PL effective 3 August 2011 * Dr. T.P. Tuong as consultant (contract in preparation) * Dr. Manoranjan Mondal commenced with IRRI (Bangladesh) on 10 October 2011 * Yet to recruit one NRS for IRRI Bangladesh * Yet to recruit two consultants for WFC Bangladesh (pending finalization of contract with IRRI) Work planning * Focus polders selected in freshwater region in Barisal Division (43/2/F), medium-salinity region in Khulna Division (30), high-salinity region in Khulna Division (3). * May 2011: 8-day field trip organized and conducted to focus polders to observe situation on the ground, hold discussions with stakeholders (including farmers, NGOs, CSISA hub teams, local BWDB, BRRI, BFRI, and BRAC officers, DAE, Water Management Groups/Associations), and select sites for on-farm and on-station cropping system and crop/aquaculture system activities. In addition to G2 members (from IRRI, BRRI, BRAC, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University), there were participants from G1 (IRRI), G3 (IWMI, Socioconsult), and G4 (IWM, polder 3 only). * Detailed work plans prepared for the evaluation of rice varieties, cropping systems/water management options, crop/aquaculture systems, and aquaculture systems. * Sampling strategy and tools developed for detailed assessment of all three polders, to be implemented during fourth quarter of 2011. * Several trips made to research and demonstration sites on all three polders to finalize site selection, implement activities, and monitor progress. 2

CPWF Project Inception Report

* On-farm rice variety evaluation trials implemented at one location on each of the three study polders: Polder 3 (rice variety evaluation; rice-aquaculture system) Ten varieties were tested in the 2011 aman season under enhanced leaching (to lower soil salinity for rice) and farmers traditional gher drainage practices. There were two seeding dates (15 and 30 July) in the farmers gher practice, with target transplanting dates of 5-15 and 20-30 August, respectively. There was one seeding date (15 July) under enhanced leaching practice with target transplanting date of 5-15 August. After rice, the farmers will grow saline-water shrimp, and the G2 aquaculture team will introduce improved management, including polyculture Polder 30 (rice variety evaluation; rice-rice-rice and rice-rice-rabi systems) Eleven varieties were tested in the 2011 aman season. The initial plan was three sowing/transplanting dates, but only one sowing (1 July)/transplanting (25 July) was achieved due to unusually high rainfall and deep flooding of 2540 cm (more than seedling height). Transplanting was delayed slightly from the target date of 21 July because of deep water after rain. One site was also established for an aman-rabi cropping system trial (with BRRI dhan54). The main objective of this trial is to demonstrate the benefits of early drainage, which will enable early establishment of the rabi crop. Our hypothesis is that early establishment of the rabi crop will improve rabi crop production because it will mature earlier and escape damaging rains in May-June. The second objective is to evaluate/demonstrate improved management options for the common rabi crops on this polder (predominantly sesame, some mungbean), including line sowing and mulching. One site was also established with BRRI dhan49 for an aman-boro demonstration of the fact (an output of PN10) that boro rice can be planted in December (while water in the rivers is still fresh, and reducing the need for stored fresh water within the polder to finish the crop off) and the risk of soil salinization increases later in the season once the rivers become saline. Polder 43/2/5 (rice variety evaluation; rice-rice-rice and rice-rice-rabi systems) Eleven varieties were tested using three sowing dates (24 June, 15 July, and 6 August) (target transplanting dates of 15 July, 6 August, 27 August; actual transplanting 15 July, 23 August, and 9 September). Here also, transplanting was delayed due to deep flooding caused by heavy rainfall, especially the second transplanting when seedling age was 39 days. The main reason was flooding due to heavy rainfall. The seedlings sown on 15 July were completely submerged but recovered after flood recession; hence, transplanting was delayed from 6 to 23 August. We also had to delay the seedbed for the third date and to reschedule sowing seeds for the third seeding date from 6 to 16 August. As on polder 30, sites for aman-rabi and aman-boro cropping systems were successfully established according to plan. For aman-rabi, two varieties (BRRI dhan33 and BRRI dhan53) of similar growth duration were used and the sowing and transplanting dates were 6 and 29 August, respectively. For aman-boro, the variety was BRRI dhan54 and the sowing and transplanting dates were 25 July and 18 August, respectively. * On-farm sites established for T. aman-rabi trials (drainage management rabi species rabi crop management) on polders 43/2/F and 30. 3

CPWF Project Inception Report

* On-farm sites established for T. aman-boro demonstrations (time of boro plantingto demonstrate the possibility of early boro establishment to reduce the need for stored fresh water to finish the crop) on polders 43/2/F and 30. * On-farm site established for rice/aquaculture systems in polder 3.

1.2

Bottlenecks

Please describe any process and research bottlenecks (and how they were / are being addressed)
* Lack of funds from CPWF to date has impeded the ability of IRRI NARES partners to fully implement planned activities for the 2011 aman crop. * Delay in finalizing LoA between IRRI and WorldFish has slowed process of recruitment of WFC staff and activities of BFRI and CIBA to some extent. * Heavy rain and a lot of flooding in the delta this year resulted in delays in transplanting of some trials (i.e., transplanting using older seedlings than the target age, 21 days, and we were able to implement only one of the three target transplanting dates on polder 30 because of the deep flooding.

1.3

Insights and learning

Please share your main insights and lessons learned during the inception period
The complexity of the environments we are working in. Rather than simple low, medium, and high salinity environments, we are dealing with salinity and flooding conditions within polders that vary considerably across the polders, and between seasons and years. These are greatly affected by varying topography. On top of varied and sometimes complex social and economic circumstances of households, the environment clearly represents a significant challenge to the development of cropping system recommendations, and requires more dynamic and flexible solutions. Huge amounts of flooding during the rainy season in 2011 on the polders due to 1. Lack of management (poor management) of sluices and flushing gatesletting water in when there was already too much water there, not taking advantage of opportunities to drain excess water. 2. Lack of infrastructure separating low and high lands. 3. Damaged or missing infrastructure (embankments, sluice gates).

1.4

Partnerships

Please describe partnerships entered into and their relevance to project and BDC goals
WFC Providing expertise and being actively involved in aquaculture and homestead production system activities; they are essential to the development and evaluation of improved aquaculture management for brackish-water and freshwater systems, including rice + aquaculture, rice in rotation with brackish-water aquaculture, brackish-water aquaculture throughout the year, and homestead ponds. WFC is in charge of the administration/progress monitoring of all aquatic and homestead production system activities. BRRI Responsible for carrying out all the rice varietal evaluation work in Bangladesh; essential for the identification of improved varieties for the different water conditions across the coastal zone, including varieties with short duration that will allow cropping system intensification. 4

CPWF Project Inception Report

Critical partner in the design and evaluation of intensive triple-rice and rice-rice-rabi cropping systems onfarm and on-station (BRRI experimental stations). BRAC Experience and expertise in the production of high-value rabi crops, and in cropping system intensification (triple rice, rice-rice-rabi) in Barisal, and staff are locally based and able to play an important role in the on-farm work on polder 43/2/F (which is somewhat remote from the BRRI experimental station). CSSRI Responsible for all the rice varietal evaluation and cropping systems work in West Bengal. BFRI Under subcontract with WFC, will be actively involved in aquaculture research activities, starting in the winter season 2011-12. CIBA Under subcontract with WFC, will lead the aquaculture research in the brackish-water part of the Ganges delta in India. It is expected that CIBA will also play a role in outreach to policymakers and development actors within India to facilitate uptake of research, and achievement of BDC goals within India.

1.5

Other feedback

Please give any other feedback you would like to share, positive or otherwise
* The willingness and ability of BRRI and BRAC to forge ahead with substantial parts of the 2011 aman activities despite a lack of CPWF funding to date, by borrowing from other resources. * The excitement of the farmers at our site on polder 3 (land has been used only for shrimp culture in recent years because of low rain and thus salinity) when they saw the excellent growth of the plants in the seedling nursery for the rice variety evaluation trials for planting in two ghers (one with farmer drainage management and one with improved drainage management). * G2 has put considerable time and energy into trying to help the basin leader as he is on a very steep learning curve and there doesnt seem to be anyone else at WFC able to provide the needed input. * The lack of progress in forming a GBDC Advisory Committee is disappointing and a concernit should have been formed a couple of months ago with input from all the Gs; we should have been having our first meeting with them immediately after the Inception Workshop, to familiarize them with our thoughts and plans, to get their feedback and suggestions and relevant updates, and to try to start developing a good relationship and ownership.

CPWF Project Inception Report

2.

Compliance with contracting requirements

Where to find it Updated and / or annexed? No change, attached Updated and attached Updated Updated Updated Updated Updated No changes

Documents required to finalize contracting requirements and for next tranche payment
1. Updated proposal reflecting changes negotiated with partners during the inception period (if any) and cover note explaining what has changed 2. Updated Project Workbook reflecting changes negotiated during the inception period:

Annex 1 to this report

Annex 2 to this report Ditto Ditto Ditto Ditto Ditto Ditto

Completed contact sheet

Updated outcome logic model Milestone plan developed for the duration of the project with particular emphasis on the next year) Baseline plan, outcome targets and outcome indicators for projects main two outcomes Updated Gantt Chart Updated budget worksheets (CPWF will not increase your budget; all changes beyond moving 5k must explained and justified as comments in the respective budget worksheets and in the financial report below) 3. Signed MOUs corresponding to your proposal 4. Third-Party Intellectual asset audit

Annex 3 to this report Annex 4 to this report

All attached Attached

3.

Needs from the CPWF

Is there anything that the CPWF can help you with at this point in the project? Please specify where you think the help should come (e.g., from Basin Leader, Coordination Project, CPWF KM team, CPWF Research team, TWGs) The aquaculture team would appreciate a closer interaction with the TWG on resilience. Our research and analysis of farming systems require more thought around resilience, and some dialogue with the TWG on resilience might be helpful to develop practical indicators we could use.

CPWF Project Inception Report

CPWF Project Inception Report 4.2 Project leaders commentary on the summary financial report
Amount USD Expected date of expenditure

Please explain any significant commitments currently being held

Commitment is held against payment to which partners or providers?

If you are over-spent / under-spent please explain why or any aspect of the financial progress of your project that has or will affect progress:
The project has underspent against the budget because: -Official project start was unrealistic (1 Apr 2011) but it needed to be dated as such then, because of the CPWF timeline; it took time to develop LoAs and recruit staff -The project did not receive funds from CPWF during this period, and thus could not transfer funds to partners -Inability to implement everything planned for the first 6 months for the above stated reasons

If you had moved budgets across line items please explain why:

Any other comments about financial aspects of your project, and any advice you would like to receive:

CPWF Project Inception Report

5. Annexes
Send annexes as separate attachments to the main report

Annex 1: Updated Project Proposal Annex 2: Updated Workbook and Worksheets Annex 3: MOUs signed with project partners Annex 4: Third Party Intellectual Audit